1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a frame assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a screened frame assembly having an integral railing for at least partially enclosing a raised floor structure. The present invention finds particular application as a modular or sectional frame assembly that can be combined with or interconnected to one or more other frame assemblies for walling off an open side of a raised floor structure such as an elevated deck on a house or commercial building. It is to be appreciated, however, that the present invention may also be amenable for other applications.
2. Discussion of the Art
Many home and business owners desire to have their outdoor floor structures, such as decks, porches, patios and the like, “screened-in” to prevent or reduce the likelihood of insects, small debris and the like from interfering with individuals using the outdoor floor structure. Thus, a screened-in porch or deck allows the enjoyment of the outdoors without some of the usual nuisances that often accompany the outdoors. As used herein, “screened-in” and “screen-in” refer to the application of a screen, mesh or the like to open areas surrounding a floor structure.
Screening-in may be done on newly constructed outdoor floor structures or as a retrofit application on preexisting floor structures. In either case, cost and efficiency improvements are always desirable, particularly as they relate to the manufacture and installation of materials or products used to screen in a floor structure. In response to the desirability of such improvements, the building industry has developed and made available many modular-type products that allow screened-in frame structures to be factory assembled, delivered in their assembled state and quickly installed. The quick installation of factory assembled modular products greatly reduces the cost of screening-in an outdoor floor structure compared to traditional method of custom building the screened in framework at the site of the outdoor floor structure.
Although many modular-type products are available for screening in, heretofore, these products were not suitable for screening in a raised or elevated floor structure. More particularly, many local municipalities have building codes or ordinances that require certain raised floor structures to have railings or guard rails along their exposed edges, i.e., those edges lacking some other barrier and not leading to a set of stairs or the like. The ordinances often specify that a particular raised floor structure requires a railing if the floor structure is raised or elevated a specified distance relative to the ground or surface below the raised floor structure.
Often, the mandated railings are specifically required to include a barrier between the top of the railing and the floor structure. A suitable barrier could be, for example, a plurality of vertically extending posts extending between a top member of the railing and a base member of the railing or the floor structure itself. The railing requirement is intended to lessen the likelihood of an injury resulting from someone falling over the edge of the raised floor structure.
Generally, conventional modular products for screening in an outdoor floor structure do not include a railing or guard rail with a barrier and, as a result, are unsuitable for screening in a raised floor structure. Accordingly, there is a need for a screen assembly that can be factory assembled and quickly installed on site wherein the screen assembly includes an integral railing or guard rail assembly having a barrier between the top of the railing and the floor structure.
Desirably, the barrier on such a screen assembly should be minimal and not more than is necessary to meet the legal requirements calling for the barrier. For example, if the barrier were a sheer wall, it would at least partially defeat the purpose of screening in the outdoor floor structure because the wall would not allow a user of the floor structure to fully enjoy the outdoors because the wall would obstruct visibility and airflow. At the same time, the barrier should be sturdy enough to resist damage or breakage when a force is applied to the barrier or the entire screen assembly such as when a person leans thereagainst.
A design for enclosing a floor structure that is not minimal is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 402,376. The '376 patent illustrates a screen assembly for use in a gazebo. A lower section of the screen assembly includes a lattice-type panel having a plurality of diamond-shaped holes extending therethrough. By nature of the large amount of surface area occupied by the lattice-type panel, the screen assembly of the '376 patent will overly obstruct visibility and airflow. A further problem is that the lattice-type panel is likely not sturdy enough to serve as an effective barrier as the panel appears to have a relatively small thickness and no anchoring means for securely attaching the panel to the frame of the screen assembly. Thus, the needs articulated above are not met by the screen assembly of the '376 patent.
Other features that would be desirably incorporated into a screen assembly include the use of removable screens. These would make the screen assembly easier to maintain over its lifetime by enabling relatively easier cleaning, repairing and replacement of the screened portion of the screen assembly. Still further features that are desirable include the use of components or compounds that reduce or limit the screen assembly from creating noise such as rattling in the wind and components that are specifically configured to provide relatively quick and easy on-site assembly of the screen assembly.